Crate.



J. C. HEALD.

CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28. 19m.

1,21 1,700. Patented Jan. 9,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

a 51mm;-

I. .C. HEALD.

CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28. 1916. 1,21 1,700. Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

,2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- mars stains arrive ent ies.

JOSEPH C. HEALD, OF NEWFIELD, MAINE, ASSIGNOR TO ANTOINETTE D. A. I-IEALD, OF NEWFIELD, MAINE.

CRATE.

Application filed Apri1 28, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Josnrrr C. HEALD, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Newfield, in the county of York and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to crates and more particularly to a poultry shipping crate, although the principles of the invention may be embodied in crates designed for other purposes and it is the primary aim of the invention to provide a crate which may be shipped in knockdown form, thereby economizing in space and reducing the ultimate cost of the crate to the user.

Another aim of the invention is to provide a crate of the class mentioned so constructed that while the same is adapted to be shipped in knockdown form, it will possess this advantage without being any more expensive to manufacture, and in all probability less expensive to manufacture, than the ordinary poultry shipping crate which must be shipped in set up condition.

Incidentally the invention aims to so construct the crate that that portion of the structure which adapts the crate to be shipped in knockdown form will serve effectually as a reinforcing means for the crate, thereby securing this additional advantage without any increase in cost. I I

Another aim of the invention is to s construct the crate that the same may be readily set up by, the purchaser without the exercise of any skill and which will, when set up, be as substantial as the ordinary crate shipped in this condition from the factory.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a perspective view of the crate embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a detail horizontal sectional view through a portion of one side of the crate. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 8-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the stripswhich forms the sockets for the staves of the crate. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one end of one of the said staves.

In the drawings the crate is illustrated as including a bottom 1, which is preferably solid, and a top which is either solid or made up of a number of slats 2, the sides of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 191?.

Serial No. 94,177.

crate comprising a plurality of staves indicated in general by the numeral 3. Inasmuch as the top and bottom of the crate are ldentical in construction so far as concerns the means provided for the assemblage of the slats with the said top and this constitutes the present invention, a specific description of the bottom portion of one side of the crate will suffice for a full understanding of the principles of the invention.

Secured to the upper side of the bottom 1 of the crate is a cleat 4 which is preferably rectangular in cross section and which is also 7 preferably formed of a strip of wood bent to the outline of the crate bottom, this cleat being secured at suitable intervals to the said bottom in any desired manner as, for example, by nails or the like indicated at 5, which nails are driven through the marginal portion of the bottom and into the und r side of the strip at and passing at their head ends through a wear strip 6 which in this manner is secured to the under side of the said bottom.

By reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings it will be observed that the outer face of the cleat 4: is flush with the outer edge of the bottom 1 but that the outer edge of the wear strip 6 projects a short distance beyond the said outer edge of the bottom. Disposed against the outer edge of the bottom 1 and against the outer face of the said cleat 4t and extending continuously around the said edge and the said cleat, is a metallic strip stamped in the manner shown in Fig. 4: of the drawings so as to afford sockets spaced at suitable intervals and receiving the ends of the staves 3 which form the sides of the crate.

By reference to Fig. at it will be observed that the strip above mentioned, which strip is indicated in general by the numeral 7, is formed at intervals with outstanding vertically disposed ribs each having a side 8 which lies in a plane at right angles to the plane of the body portion 7 of the strip, and a side 9 which lies at an obtuse angle to the said body portion of the strip and at an acute angle to the side 8. The ribs are arranged in pairs and it will be observed that the ribs of each pair have their sides 8 presented toward each other in parallelism so as to form the vertical side walls of the sockets, the portions of the strip between the sides 8 of each pair of ribs constituting another wall of the respective socket. A

strip 10 is disposed against the outer edges of the ribs above described or, in other words, against the ribs at the juncture of the sides 8 and 9 thereof and this strip 1.0 is secured in place by means of nails or other suitable fastening elements 11 driven at intervals through the strip 10 and through openings 12 which are formed in the body portion of the metallic strip 7 between the inclined sides 9 of the ribs of adjacent pairs, the nails being also driven into the cleat 4 as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. In this manner the strip 10 and also the strip 7 is secured in place and it will be observed that the lower edge of the strip 10 rests upon the uppersideof the projecting edge portion of the strip 6 so that the bottom of each socket is closed by the said projecting edge portion of the strip 6 in the manner shown in Fig. 3. Ihe strip 7 is formed between the sides 8 of the ribs of each pair with an opening 13 through which securing nails may be driven for the purpose of securing the ends of the staves 3 in a manner which will now be explained.

By reference to Fig. 5 of the drawings, it will be observed that the stave ends are slightly tapered in the direction of their extremities or, in other words, that the staves are so cut that their side edges at their end portions will converge as at 14 in the direction of the extremities of the staves. In assembling the staves with the top and bottom of the crate the staves are fitted at their lower ends into the sockets formed between the strip 7, the sides 8 of the ribs of the said strip, and the strip 10, and after being firmly fitted at their ends in the sockets surrounding the bottom of the crate, the top of the crate may be disposed in position and forced in a downward direction so as to cause the upper ends of the staves to seat in a like manner in the sockets in the top of the crate. After the parts have been thus assembled, securing nails 15 are driven through the strip 10 at both the top and bottom of the crate and through each of the stave ends, the openings 18, and into the cleats 4 at the top or bottom of the crate as the case may be, and in this manner the staves are firmly and securely united at their ends to the said top and bottom of the crate and the crate is in condition for shipment of poultry.

It will now be understood that the crates embodying the present invention are to be shipped from the factory with the staves 3 separate from the bottom and top of the crate but for convenience in shipment, laid or housed between the bottom and top, which latter parts are suitably secured together to prevent loss or separation of any of the parts and that the purchaser of one of the crates is only required, in setting up the crate, to assemble the staves with the said top and bottom and secure their ends in the manner above pointed out. It will further be understood that the strip 7 serves not only by reason of its peculiar form, to provide sockets to receive the stave ends but that the said strip serves also as a reinforcing means for the edges of the top and bottom of the crate. It will also be understood that inasmuch as the ends of the staves are ta; pered they may be fitted more snugly and securely within the sockets and the finished crate will be rendered more rigid than would likely be the case if the staves were of the same width throughout their entire length. Furthermore, inasmuch as the strip 7 is of sheetmetal and the ribs formed thereon are hollow the sides 8 of the ribs, which sides constitute the side walls of the sockets which receive the stave ends, may yield slightly in forcing the stave ends into place, thereby further insuring of a snug fit of the stave ends within the sockets.

As before stated, the principles of the present invention may be embodied in crates designed for various purposes and in fact, in'baskets, hampers, and various other types of containers which it may be desired to ship in knockdown form; Furthermore, it will be understood that the strips 6 serve not only as runners or wear strips for supporting the bottom of the crate in elevated position and therefore provide against wear of the said bottom, and in like manner provide against wear of the slats 2, but that these strips also serve to close the lower and upper ends of the sockets at the bottom and top of the crate respectively so as to prevent the ends of the staves catching in the floor or ground surface when the crate is moved over such surface. These strips also serve to insure of proper relative position of the top and bottom of the crate inasmuch as the staves are of equal length and are limited in the entrance movement of their ends into the sockets by the said strips.

Having thus described the invention, what portions, and a strip disposed between the said portions and formed at intervals with ribs having spaced relatively angularly disposed sides, the ribs being arranged in pairs and the spaces defined by the adjacent sides of the ribs of each pair and the spaced portions of the said wall member constituting a socket to receive the stave end.

8. In a crate or similar structure, a wall member, and staves to be assembled there with, the said wall member having spaced portions, and a metallic strip disposed between the said portions and provided at intervals with pairs of ribs stamped out therefrom, the ribs of each pair having their adjacent sides at right angles to the body of the strip and their other sides extending at an angle to the first mentioned sides and yieldably bracing the first mentioned sides, the spaces defined by the said adjacent sides of the ribs and the said spaced portions of the wall member constituting sockets to re CGiYG the ends of the said staves.

4:. In a crate or similar structure, a wall member comprising a body portion, a cleat secured thereto at the edge thereof, a metallic strip secured to the outer face of the cleat and provided at intervals with pairs of ribs, a strip disposed against the first mentioned strip and secured in place with respect thereto, and staves adapted to have their ends fitted into the sockets formed between the ribs of the said pairs and the said cleat and last mentioned strip.

5. In a crate or similar structure, a Wall member comprising a body portion, a cleat secured thereto at the edge thereof, a metallic strip secured to the outer face of the cleat and provided at intervals with pairs of ribs, a strip disposed against the first mentioned strip and secured in place with respect thereto, and staves adapted to have their ends fitted into the sockets formed between the ribs of the said pairs and the said cleat and last mentioned strip, the first mentioned strip being formed between each pair of ribs with an opening for the passage of a securing element driven through the said stave end.

6. In a crate or similar structure, a wall member comprising a body portion, a cleat secured thereto at the edge thereof, a metallic strip secured to the outer face of the cleat and provided at intervals with pairs of ribs, a strip disposed against the first mentioned strip and secured in place with respect thereto, and staves adapted to have their ends fitted into the sockets formed between the ribs of the said pairs and the said cleat and last mentioned strip, the first mentioned strip being formed between each pair of ribs with an opening for the passage of a securing element driven through the said stave end, and the said strip being provided also between the pairs of ribs with openings for the passage of securing elements for securing the last mentioned strip in place.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOSEPH O. I-IEALD. [L. s.]

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

